Homer's Best Bets

The sun rises over the Kenai Mountains while fog covers Kachemak Bay last Thursday morning, a view many Homer workers see on their drive.

February 18, 2013 - 07:22pm

Homer's Best Bets

Notice the red color on this page? The words “love” and “Valentine’s Day”? Consider this fair warning that today might be a day those romantically involved won’t want to forget. The Betster gave ya a week’s notice already, so if you go home tonight with not even a bag of M&Ms, well, don’t blame the Betster if you spend the night on the lumpy couch.Whew. With that out of the way, let’s get on to other stuff, like the annual February Cabin Fever Controversy. Except, what’s to grump about? Sure, some people didn’t like the Natural Gas Homer Special Assessment District the council approved Monday night. If gold coins rained from the sky, people would whine that no one saw that coming and they didn’t have time to put on hard hats. When an action has a 14 percent negative rating and the council approves it 6-zip, it’s safe to say that it’s pretty popular. In any case, on the February Cabin Fever Controversy Scale, with the Club Bar incident a 10, that one didn’t even rate a 2.What else ya got? Sewer and water rates? A task force lowered them, Betsteroids. Sure, the Alaska Legislature has been creating mischief, but that’s something they do before panic time at the end of the session when our legislators realize that instead of trying to defy the federals, they should have been doing real work on stuff like creating another state holiday or declaring the Official State Knife — the Swiss Army knife, of course. There. That should get things going.Meanwhile, relax and enjoy the fact that this February, we don’t really have much to grump about with these Best Bets:

BEST NEON LIGHTS BET: Pop the glow sticks and put on your sparkly duds for the Neon Winter Ball from 7 p.m.-midnight Saturday at K-Bay Caffe. At 7 p.m. it’s open mic and at 9 p.m. dance with Uplfit and 100th Monkey. Admission is $5. Proceeds benefit Flex High School’s field trip to the Anchorage Museum and the Imaginarium.

BEST SWEETHEART BET: Sure, it might be something your parents did, but they’re not stupid, ya know. Contra dance might be kickin’ it old school, but it’s also intimate in a tasteful, coy way. Take your sweetie — or meet a new love — at the all-ages Valentine’s Contra Dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Homer High School. Admission is $7 adults, $8 families, $2 kids under 10. Proceeds benefit high school juniors for the 2013 Prom.

BEST SLICK SLOPES BET: Get a free introduction to snowboarding and skiing from 1-2 p.m. Sunday at the Ohlson Mountain Rope Tow. Bring or borrow equipment, though some helmets and snowboards can be loaned by the Kachemak Ski Club. A student ski pass for the day is $5, but no charge for the lessons.

BEST NO WHINING BET: Longer days, great snow and clear skies. Yup, what better way to celebrate with the Kachemak Nordic Ski Club’s annual Wine and Cheese and Wooden Ski Tour from noon-4 p.m. Sunday at the DOT Trailhead for the Baycrest Ski Trails. Wine, juice, cheese and crackers are served. The fee is $25 per person for KNSC members,$35 per person non members, $10 per youth age 11-20 and free for kids 10 and under free.

BEST BIG TOP BET: Get ready for Quixotic, the big circus, music, dance and performance event next October, with a fundraiser at 7 p.m. today at the Homer Theatre. Watch a video of the troupe and bid on live and silent auction items. Admission is $10.